Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska:

Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Nebraska:

Road Food Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana

My husband and I just completed a five-week road trip from Washington DC to the Rockies and back. This report will focus on small towns mostly in the Rockies. I will list the town, the restaurant, the food, and a comment or two. It is pretty long, and hope it helps, as we kept checking the roadfood website for suggestions and basically in these states in the smaller towns, there were none. Even in the bigger towns, not a lot. It looks like lots of folks do not travel in this area, or at least post on this web site.

COLORADO:Montrose: The Red Barn for wonderful burgers. There are several two cafes downtown, both with fine coffee and good breakfast food. Sorry cannot remember their names, but there are only two and they are on the main street through downtown.

Durango: Ribs the kind that fall off the bone, tender in the mouth and wish you could just go on forever. VERY informal, you order at the counter and bring your food to a picnic table. Yes there is beer.

Grand Junction: Interesting town as there are vineyards, actually lots of them, some with very good wine, and yes they have tasting rooms. We found it a good way to spend an afternoon. The old downtown has a street with lots going on including a number of restaurants. We went to the high side and eat at. …Both our meals were great. Savory, succulent just wonderful.

UTAH:

Salt Lake City: It is strange that the very best sushi we have ever had has been in SLC. This is the 3rd time we have eaten at Takaski’s (downtown) over the last four years. Incredible sushi, the kind of food that you remember long after you have eaten it. This for us is a 4 out of 4. On the Roadfood scale, we did drive a 100 miles to get there and would do it again. Actually we made sure we got there right as they were opening for dinner. The sushi is fresh, the combination of flavors just blends in the mouth, and is visually appealing too. The owner, Takaski, is at the sushi bar, along with a number of assistants. This is where we prefer to sit, the show of watching the preparation is a theatre.

Ogden: El Pollo Rico. Really good broasted chicken, in or out. We took a chicken and some sides out and drove up the valley. Finger licking good. This place is about six blocks from downtown.

IDAHO:

Dillon: We stopped at a gas station where a vendor truck was set up and had great enchiladas and tamales. The place is on the main drag through town, and they are converting the gas station itself into an indoor restaurant. It is called Tacos El Toro. There is a nice couple running it. We also went down the street and stopped for good coffee at ‘Bad Ass Coffee’ This place is worth stopping by, there is NO Starbucks for hundreds of miles and this is better.

Wisdom: This is in the Big Hole Valley. There are three choices in Wisdom to eat. We tried Jetty’s. Very good burgers. Remember there is no cell service or Internet in Wisdom.

Sula: This is the Bitterroot Valley and the gas station in Sula (there is only one) serve meals in the back. (There are cabins to rent too.) The biscuits and gravy are worth all the cholesterol. The breakfast was heaven, the flavoring, the consistency, everything. On to Missoula

Missoula: If you are in need of ice cream, the Big Dipper, think home grown Dairy Queen only better, near the University, is the place to go. Worth every calorie. Just south of Missoula, is a suburb called Lolo. The Steakhouse (there is only one) serves up wonderful melt in your mouth cuts of meat.

Bozeman: The Food Coop (on West 7th) is the place to go. Grab something simple or complex from the deli, and yes they do serve all sorts of non -vegetarian dishes and take it outside or upstairs. Folks will share a table and talk with you if you are so inclined for some local conversation.

Livingston: Montana’s Chop house (a local sort of chain) was recommended by the ladies at the chamber of commerce next door. It is on the main drag through town in the old railroad station. We had a stuffed potato – with pulled pork – and a burger. Both excellent and difficult to finish they were so large. We ate lunch there and the bill was 11 dollars.

Yellowstone: We were there just for lunch and had chili and soup at two different concessions at Old Faithful. Both were filling, yummy and cheap.

Red Lodge: Natalie’s – Front Bar for a great bar and friendly folks. Next door is the Red Lodge Pizza with a good salad bar. Across the street is Bridge Creek Restaurant. We had soups, the ‘world famous’ clam chowder is good. The Red Lodge café serves up really good home made pie. We tried the blackberry, and it was good. Sam’s Tap Room serves various beers that change with the seasons. If you leave Red Lodge towards Belfry, consider stopping at the Hungry Bear Café that advertises from the road ‘—orld Famous Best Banana Cream Pie’ Ok the couple that runs it just forgot to put the W back on the sign after the wind blew it off. The wife does make a banana cream pie worth stopping for.

WYOMING:

Sheridan: On the road and just passing through, we stopped at JB’s and had a plentiful and healthy salad at their salad bar. We were trying to make up for the banana cream pie we had for breakfast.

Gilette: Again just passing through, we stopped at Dos Margaritas and had good quality Mexican. Surprising, as we are pretty fair from Mexico.

NEBRASKA:

Chadron: The Heritage Grill. We doubt this place will still be there by the time someone reads this, as they are serving great food (we tried steak and a burger) food on table clothes. This was a 3 out of 4. This is a cut above what most restaurants in town are like. If it is still around, in downtown, slightly off the main drag through downtown, it is worth doing to for lunch or dinner. For breakfast we went to Helen’s and again had very good biscuits and gravy.

Alliance: Should you be in the Sandhills and driving Rt. 2, you cannot miss this place: Bob and Dale’s. They place Blue music, have TVs going with football and serve up fried chicken and mashed potatoes and one of my spouse’s favorite’s hot beef sandwich.

I tried to post some pictures, but I do not seem to get it to work, sorry. Lydia